P.K.E. Meter/Animated
The P.K.E. Meter functioned just like in the movie, and was used all the time to track down ghosts, demons, and supernatural events. One bad side effect to it was it could explode if exposed to a very big supernatural event. In "Ghosts R Us" the P.K.E. Meter can tell how intelligent a ghost is. A specialty calibrated meter is kept on hand to keep a census on the ghosts in the Containment Unit. History The Real Ghostbusters Over the years, the P.K.E. Meter was adjusted to do more than detect the paranormal. While on the hunt for the Boogieman, Ray suggested they adjust the P.K.E. Meter to detect potential vibrations given off by the entity's portals.Ray Stantz (2009). The Real Ghostbusters - "The Boogieman Cometh" (1986) (DVD ts. 10:14-10:17). Time Life Entertainment. Ray says: "We can adjust the P.K.E. Meters to pick up potential vibrations." When they were in Hollywood, the Ghostbusters lost their Proton Packs. Egon Spengler adjusted the P.K.E. Meter and a spare to pick up the particle beam energy of the Proton Packs.Egon Spengler (2009). The Real Ghostbusters - "Take Two" (1986) (DVD ts. 12:47-12:51). Time Life Entertainment. Egon says: "I've adjusted my P.K.E. and the spare to pick up the particle beam energy of our Proton Packs." Forced to venture into the New Jersey Parallelogram, the Meter's polarity was reversed so it could be set to detect reality and find the MS Applegon crew."Venkman's Ghost Repellers" The polarity could also be reversed in order to send out a distress signal only ghosts could hear.Ray Stantz (2009). The Real Ghostbusters - "Lights! Camera! Haunting!" (1987) (DVD ts. 18:40-18:44). Time Life Entertainment. Ray says: "If I can just reverse the polarity, it'll send signals to ghosts instead of receiving them." While searching for Janine Melnitz, who was kidnapped by henchmen of the Crimelord, Egon adjusted the Meter to pick up Janine's specific bio-rhythm.Egon Spengler (2009).The Real Ghostbusters- "Ghost Busted" (1986) (DVD ts. 13:27-13:29). Time Life Entertainment. In two instances, the P.K.E. Meter could adjusted while the Ghostbusters were in the Netherworld. Egon set it to high gain in order to detect the Shears of Fate.Egon Spengler (2009).The Real Ghostbusters- "Hanging By a Thread" (1986) (DVD ts. 15:07-15:09). Time Life Entertainment. In the second, Ray adjusted his P.K.E. Meter to focus on Egon's ethereal vibrations after he was shifted to the Netherworld.Ray Stantz (2009). The Real Ghostbusters - "Egon's Ghost" (1987) (DVD ts. 12:42-12:45). Time Life Entertainment. Ray says: "Don't worry. The meter is tuned to his ethereal vibrations." In a similar fashion, the Meters were set to infinity to detect Marduk without getting false positives from psychic background noise and local specters.Egon Spengler (2009).The Real Ghostbusters- "I Am the City" (1986) (DVD ts. 13:13-13:18). Time Life Entertainment. While the meter could pick up ghosts, demons, and gods in its standard calibration, it would have to be adjusted to detect undead such as Vampires.Egon Spengler (2009). The Real Ghostbusters - "Transylvanian Homesick Blues" (1987) (DVD ts. 08:20-08:22). Time Life Entertainment. Egon says: "My P.K.E. Meter is not calibrated for the undead." It could detect a corporeal being like the Boogieman, who registered negative readings with a valence of minus nine.Jason (2009). The Real Ghostbusters - "The Bogeyman Is Back" (1987) (DVD ts. 11:07-11:10). Time Life Entertainment. Jason says: "Egon, I'm getting negative readings on this P.K.E. Meter with a valence of negative nine."Egon Spengler (2009). The Real Ghostbusters - "The Bogeyman Is Back" (1987) (DVD ts. 11:13-11:15). Time Life Entertainment. Egon says: "Negative nine?! That's the reading for the Boogieman!" The Gingerbread House, also a solid manifestation, also gave off negative readings.Egon Spengler (2009). The Real Ghostbusters - "Once Upon a Slime" (1987) (DVD ts. 05:39-05:40). Time Life Entertainment. Egon says: "Readings are negative."Ray Stantz (2009). The Real Ghostbusters - "Once Upon a Slime" (1987) (DVD ts. 08:46-08:47). Time Life Entertainment. Ray says: "It's solid matter!" In addition to detection, the P.K.E. Meter was also used as a deterrent. Egon adjusted the sound on the Meter to a frequency painful to human ears within a close proximity.Egon Spengler (2009). The Real Ghostbusters - "Transylvanian Homesick Blues" (1987) (DVD ts. 15:47-15:50). Time Life Entertainment. Egon says: "I can adjust the sound on this meter to a frequency painful to human hearing." In a race against time, Egon adjusted four P.K.E. Meters to only pick up the energy field of the Makoveris Lotsabucks in order to locate her before Janine was changed for good.Egon Spengler (2009).The Real Ghostbusters- "Janine, You've Changed" (1990) (DVD ts. 15:46-15:48). Time Life Entertainment. As of the Tokyo case in the early 1990s, the P.K.E. Meter was able to detect psychomagnotheric residue.Egon Spengler (2009). The Real Ghostbusters - "Attack of the B-Movie Monsters" (1991) (DVD ts. 10:27-10:30). Time Life Entertainment. Egon says: "That's odd. Now there's no trace of psychomagnotheric residue." Extreme Ghostbusters The Extreme Ghostbusters used the original P.K.E. Meters in their investigation of the ancient tunnel at the site of the Crosstown Subway. Due to the ghosts in New York getting stronger, the P.K.E. Meters had to be redesigned to be stronger like the rest of the equipment. The design was somewhat altered for the newer version. Rather than having an antenna on top that put two side wings, the top has two smaller antennas that had a focused electric wave flowing between them. During the Lotan case, Egon attempted to study Maiikrob's vitals with a stethoscope-like extension hidden in the rear of his P.K.E. Meter. Maiikrob swatted the Meter away before it could be used. A Tilt Table P.K.E. Scanner also utilized a P.K.E. Meter for its full body scans but was a silver color like the device itself. Secondary History IDW Comics With the Giga meter broken during the Unknown Soldier Ghosts' escape from a police station in Paris, Ray Stantz retrieved a P.K.E. Meter, left behind by a version of the guys from a parallel dimension, from the Ghostbusters' hotel. The meter immediately detected the stolen Poveglian Artifact after they entered the Louvre Museum. Cait Banner used the meter to scan Jenny Moran during a lecture. Egon from Dimension 68-R and Roland from Dimension 68-E used both their P.K.E. Meters to help confirm Liberty Island was cleared of Connla's Army. After taking readings inside the Wander Hills Orphanage, Egon 68-R came to the conclusion that it and Ellen Gold, the ghost that conjured it, shared her P.K.E. signature and thus, had a weakness. He told the others to blast at the building with their Particle Throwers adjusted to the right frequency and proper power setting to disorient Ellen. Development Like most equipment shown in the pilot, the P.K.E. Meter was altered later. Interestingly enough, even in the storyboards to "Mrs. Roger's Neighborhood" the design was used.Storyboards from "Mrs. Roger's Neighborhood" The design was more of a box without a handle to hold it. There is one large dial on the front.Screen caps and Storyboards from "The Real Ghostbusters Pilot" Toys *P.K.E. Meter came with the Proton Pack in Weapon Action Figure Toys 2 Trivia *The P.K.E. Meter can register only ghosts up to a Class 10. If it detects a force beyond that, the Meter explodes.Egon Spengler (2009). The Real Ghostbusters - "Slimer Streak" (1989) (DVD ts. 16:55-16:59). Time Life Entertainment. Egon says: "Incredible. This meter can register any ghosts up to a Class 10." *The P.K.E. Meter couldn't function properly during an intense thunder storm when the Ghostbusters faced the Indian Earth Spirit for the first time.Egon Spengler (2009). The Real Ghostbusters - "Follow That Hearse" (1988) (DVD ts. 08:44-08:47). Time Life Entertainment. Egon says: "The air is too ionized to get a reading." *The P.K.E. Meters used by the Extreme Ghostbusters can't function properly in a lead-lined tunnel.Egon Spengler (1997). Extreme Ghostbusters- Heart of Darkness (1997) (DVD ts. 12:50-12:57). Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. Egon says: "These are lead-lined tunnels designed to be impervious to nuclear fallout. In much the same way, they're blocking our P.K.E. readings." *In Ghostbusters: The Video Game (Realistic Versions), The Real Ghostbusters' version of the P.K.E. Meter can be found on a desk in the Firehouse basement near the door to the sub-basement, next to several Stasis Mines modeled after the Extreme Ghostbusters traps. *On the subscription cover of Ghostbusters Volume 2 Issue #16, the P.K.E. Meter makes a non-canon cameo with Egon. *In Ghostbusters International #4, Ray said he would have to switch to using a pocket sized P.K.E. Meter. Dan Schoening wanted to draw a P.K.E. Meter from The Real Ghostbusters instead. Erik Burnham didn't get the dialogue in Issue #4 changed in time.TheCrossrip Tweet 6/16/16 Erik Burnham says: "...And Dan decided he didn't want to draw the PKE meter pocket sized. He wanted to draw the RGB meter. I didn't get the dialogue changed in time! Haha!" *On page 21 of Ghostbusters Annual 2018, Egon has the P.K.E. Meter from The Real Ghostbusters. *On page 25 of Annual 2018, on a table, is a drawing of two The Real Ghostbusters P.K.E. Meters. *Egon from The Real Ghostbusters has his P.K.E. Meter on Cover A of Ghostbusters Crossing Over Issue #2. *On page 18 of Ghostbusters Crossing Over Issue #4, in panel 1, on the monitor screens are: **Far top left: P.K.E. Meter screen during the Spectral Well discovery in The Real Ghostbusters episode "The Magnificent Five" **Far bottom left: P.K.E. Meter screen during The Real Ghostbusters episode "Ghost Fight at the O.K. Corral" **Middle top: P.K.E. Meter screen when Egon checks P.K.E. levels in Extreme Ghostbusters episode "Darkness at Noon, Part 1" **Far top right: The close up of the P.K.E. Meter in the Extreme Ghostbusters Intro. *On page 18 of Ghostbusters Crossing Over Issue #4, in panel 3, above Cait's head is the P.K.E. Meter screen when Winston's detects Wyatt Earp in The Real Ghostbusters episode "Ghost Fight at the O.K. Corral". *On page 18 of Ghostbusters Crossing Over Issue #4, in panel 4, on the screen is the display of Zonk on the P.K.E. Meter from The Real Ghostbusters episode "Ghosts R Us". *On page 18 of Ghostbusters Crossing Over Issue #4, in panel 5, on the far right is the P.K.E. Meter screen when it overloaded at Lewiston Girls Academy in The Real Ghostbusters episode "If I Were a Witch Man". *Egon has the P.K.E. Meter of 68-R in the lower right side of Cover B of Ghostbusters Crossing Over Issue #6. *A P.K.E. Meter appears on all 3 covers of 35th Anniversary: The Real Ghostbusters. Appearances Secondary Canon IDW Comics *Mars Attacks The Real Ghostbusters **The Real Ghostbusters version *Ghostbusters Get Real **Issue #1 ***The Real Ghostbusters version **Issue #2 ***Extreme Ghostbusters version **Issue #3 ***The Real Ghostbusters version **Issue #4 ***The Real Ghostbusters version *Ongoing Series **Volume 3 ***Ghostbusters International #4 ****Alluded to by Ray on page 18Ray Stantz (2016). IDW Comics- "Ghostbusters International #4" (2016) (Comic p.18). Ray Stantz says: "And I think we might still have a coupe back at the hotel...with that pocket-sized PKE Meter, which it turns out we will also need." ***Ghostbusters International #5 ****The Real Ghostbusters version ***Ghostbusters International #8 ****The Real Ghostbusters version ***Ghostbusters International #9 ****The Real Ghostbusters version *Ghostbusters Annual 2017 **Ghostbusters 101 Prelude ***The Real Ghostbusters version **Answering The Call ***The Real Ghostbusters version *Ghostbusters 101 **Issue #2 *Ghostbusters Annual 2018 **Both versions *Ghostbusters Crossing Over **Issue #4 ***Both versions **Issue #5 ***Both versions **Issue #6 ***68-R only **Issue #7 ***Both versions **Issue #8 ***68-R only. *Ghostbusters 35th Anniversary: The Real Ghostbusters **68-R only. *Ghostbusters 35th Anniversary: Extreme Ghostbusters **68-E only. References Gallery The Real Ghostbusters Pilot Design Pilotpkemetercollage01.png|A collage of images of the Pilot Version PKE Meter. The Real Ghostbusters Design PKEMeterAnimated14.jpg|Specifications seen in "Robo-Buster" Pkemeter002.png|Retracted PKEMeterAnimated02.png|The P.K.E. Meter in the episode Ghosts R Us PKEMeterAnimated03.png|Reading of Slug, Snarg, and Zonk PKEMeterAnimated04.png|Reading of Slug, Snarg, and Zonk PKEMeterAnimated05.png|Reading of Zonk PKEMeterAnimated06.png|The P.K.E. Meter breaks while reading the Toy Ghost PKEMeterAnimated07.jpg|Egon studies live readings from biproducts of dreams and nightmares in "Mr. Sandman, Dream Me a Dream" PKEMeterAnimated17.jpg|Briefly detects Sleeping ghost in "Take Two" Pkemeter003.png|Adjusting dial PKEMeterAnimated18.jpg|"We have activity" seen in "Killerwatt" PKEMeterAnimatedOverload.jpg|Overloaded by ecto surge in "You Can't Take it With You". KeyFobAnimated01.png|The P.K.E. Meter being hung by the Key Fob. Pkemeter004.png|Side view of P.K.E. Meter. PKEMeterAnimated01.png|Topside view of P.K.E. Meter. PKEMeterAnimated09.jpg|Detecting Hob Anagarak in block of black ice in "Cold Cash and Hot Water" . PKEMeterAnimated10.jpg|After detecting Hob Anagarak in block of black ice in "Cold Cash and Hot Water". PKEMeterAnimated11.jpg|As seen in "Ghost Fight at the O.K. Corral" PKEMeterAnimated16.jpg|Winston's detects an Earp in "Ghost Fight at the O.K. Corral" PKEMeterAnimated12.jpg|As seen in "Buster the Ghost". PKEMeterCampingItUp01.png|The P.K.E. Meter before use. As seen in "Camping it Up". PKEMeterCampingItUp02.png|The P.K.E. Meter connected to a cord that goes to a grey box. As seen in "Camping it Up". PKEMeterCampingItUp03.png|The P.K.E. Meter connected to a cord that goes to a grey box. As seen in "Camping it Up". PKEMeterCampingItUp04.png|The P.K.E. Meter connected to a cord that goes to a grey box. As seen in "Camping it Up". TransylvanianHomesickBlues27.jpg|Adjusting P.K.E. Meter in "Transylvanian Homesick Blues" PKEMeterAnimated13.jpg|As seen in "Transylvanian Homesick Blues" PKEMeterAnimated19.jpg|As seen in "Transylvanian Homesick Blues" PKEMeterAnimated20.jpg|As seen in "Transylvanian Homesick Blues" PKEMeterAnimated15.jpg|As seen in "Robo-Buster" PKEMeterAnimated21.jpg|Overloaded at ruins near Lewiston Girls Academy PKEMeterAnimated22.jpg|As seen in "The Halloween Door" PKEMeterAnimated23.jpg|Simulation of melded human dying seen in "Spacebusters" PKEMeterAnimated24.jpg|As seen in "The Treasure of Sierra Tamale" PKEMeterAnimatedSlimer.jpg|As seen in Slimer! episode "Don't Tease the Sleaze" PKEMeterRGB05.jpg|P.K.E. Meter's pick up paranormal activity on Extreme Ghostbusters in "Darkness at Noon, Part 1" PKEMeterAnimatedRGBinEGB01.jpg|Back of Meter seen in "Darkness at Noon, Part 1" PKEMeterRGB06.jpg|Egon uses Meter in "Darkness at Noon, Part 2" PKEMeterRGB07.jpg|Egon instructs Extreme Ghostbusters in "Darkness at Noon, Part 2" PKEMeterRGB08.jpg|Kylie uses P.K.E. Meter for first time in "Darkness at Noon, Part 2" The Real Ghostbusters Secondary Canon RGBPKE_meter.jpeg|Non-Canon Cameo in Ghostbusters: The Video Game BasementFloorEquipmentMaintenanceAreainGBTVGRVsc07.png|Non-Canon Cameo in Ghostbusters: The Video Game PKEMeterRVModels.jpg|Model of The Real Ghostbusters design seen on table in Firehouse basement in Ghostbusters: The Video Game PKEMeterAnimatedMarsAttacks01.jpg|As seen in Mars Attacks The Real Ghostbusters PKEMeterAnimatedMarsAttacks02.jpg|As seen in Mars Attacks The Real Ghostbusters PKEMeterAnimatedMarsAttacks03.jpg|As seen in Mars Attacks The Real Ghostbusters PKEMeterAnimatedInTheBox.jpg|As seen in Ghostbusters Volume 2 Issue #2 EgonSpenglerAnimatedIDWV2Issue16SubCover.jpg|Non-Canon Cameo on Ghostbusters Volume 2 Issue #16 Sub Cover PKEMeterAnimatedGetReal01.jpg|As seen in Ghostbusters: Get Real Issue #1 PKEMeterAnimatedGetReal02.jpg|As seen in Get Real Issue #1 PKEMeterAnimatedGetReal03.jpg|As seen in Get Real Issue #1 EgonSpenglerAnimatedGetRealIssue3RegularCover.jpg|As seen on Get Real Issue #3 Regular Cover PKEMeterAnimatedIDWGBI01.jpg|As seen in Ghostbusters International #5 PKEMeterAnimatedIDWGBI02.jpg|As seen in Ghostbusters International #5 PKEMeterAnimatedIDWAnnual2017.jpg|As seen in Ghostbusters Annual 2017 "Ghostbusters 101 Prelude" PKEMeterAnimatedIDWAnnual2018-1.jpg|As seen in Ghostbusters Annual 2018 PKEMeterAnimatedIDWCrossingOverIssue4-1.jpg|Non-canon reference seen in Ghostbusters Crossing Over Issue #4 PKEMeterAnimatedIDWCrossingOverIssue4-2.jpg|Non-canon reference seen in Ghostbusters Crossing Over Issue #4 PKEMeterAnimatedIDWCrossingOverIssue4-3.jpg|Non-canon reference seen in Ghostbusters Crossing Over Issue #4 EgonSpenglerEGBIDW03.jpg|Non-canon reference seen in Ghostbusters Crossing Over Issue #4 The Real Ghostbusters Non Canon PKEMeterAnimatedMrsRogersStoryboard01.jpg|As seen in storyboard page 23 of "Mrs. Roger's Neighborhood" Extreme Ghostbusters Design PKEMeterEGB10.jpg|The P.K.E. Meter as seen on Extreme Ghostbusters in "Be Careful What You Wish For" Pkemeterextreme02.jpg|No activity seen in "Be Careful What You Wish For" PKEMeterEGB06.jpg|P.K.E. reading taken in "Fear Itself Pkemeterextreme03.jpg|In Extreme Ghostbusters Intro Pkemeterextreme04.jpg|In Extreme Ghostbusters Intro, of body Pkemeterextreme05.jpg|In Extreme Ghostbusters Intro, of antennae PKEMeterEGB07.jpg|Backside of P.K.E. Meter in "Deadliners" PKEMeterEGB08.jpg|As seen in "The Infernal Machine" PKEMeterEGB09.jpg|Worn on Belt in "The Infernal Machine" PKEMeterAnimatedEGB15.jpg|Inside back panel in "The Ghostmakers" PKEMeterEGB11.jpg|Extended cord to check vitals seen in "Moby Ghost" PKEMeterAnimatedEGB14.jpg|As seen in "Moby Ghost" PKEMeterAnimatedEGB13.jpg|Picking up readings of Radioactive Ghost in "Fallout" PKEMeterAnimatedEGB12.jpg|Picking up readings off the scale in "Dog Days" Extreme Ghostbusters Design Collages PKEMeterinExtremeGhostbustersIntroCollage.png|As seen in Intro Extreme Ghostbusters Secondary Canon PKEMeterAnimatedIDW11.jpg|As seen in Ghostbusters Volume 1, Issue #11 PKEMeterEGB2-1CoverC.jpg|As seen on Ghostbusters Volume 2, Issue #1 Cover C PKEMeterEGBInIDW2-3.jpg|As seen in Ghostbusters Volume 2, Issue #3 KyliesPKEMeter2-16.jpg|As seen in Ghostbusters Volume 2 Issue #16 KylieGriffinEGBGetReal01.jpg|As seen in Ghostbusters Get Real Issue #2 KylieGriffinEGBGetReal02.jpg|As seen in Get Real Issue #2 RolandJacksonEGBIDW02.jpg|As seen in Ghostbusters Annual 2018 KylieGriffinEGBIDW17.jpg|As seen in Ghostbusters 35th Anniversary: Extreme Ghostbusters Category:Equipment Category:RGB Equipment Category:EGB Equipment Category:IDW Equipment